- Jaymee Sire Substack

When my good friend (and fellow Montanan) Nick McCarvel asked if I wanted to join the in-house radio team for the 2026 BNP Paribas Open, I was immediately intrigued. Coming off my second straight U.S. Open working for the World Feed to specifically cover its world-class stadium food, I have always been deeply impressed by the culinary level at professional tennis tournaments. Knowing that Indian Wells is a fan-favorite stop on the tour, the idea of getting the “tough assignment” reporting on the best food and beverage from what they call “Tennis Paradise” sounded like an absolute dream.

Speaking of which… If you are on the grounds this week, be sure to stop by the Spotlight 29 Casino activation booth to grab one of their complimentary in-house headsets. You can listen to our live radio broadcast for all the latest tennis updates and, of course, even more of my daily food recommendations! (Pro-tip: While you are at the booth, do not forget to treat yourself to a complimentary tasting of their fantastic award-winning craft beer).

Since I am at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden for almost all of my meals, I have challenged myself to try at least one new place every single day. I am also staying with my friend Mandy’s parents (a huge shoutout to my host family, Ellie and Alan), so I love bringing things home for them to sample as well.

Here is everything I have eaten at the tournament so far, exactly what I ordered, and my honest opinion. (Spoiler alert: there is nothing I genuinely disliked!)

I will continue updating this post, so consider this your ultimate guide to eating at the BNP Paribas Open if you are headed to Tennis Paradise this week.

The 2026 Indian Wells Food Guide

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese: When I saw that Beecher’s was making its Indian Wells debut, I was genuinely giddy! Not only do they make some of the absolute best mac and cheese you will ever eat (Ellie literally gave it top honors), but the company was also started by fellow WSU Coug Kurt Dammeier. He was nice enough to come on our morning show the other day and bring us all the snacks, which is why I have tried so much of their menu. The mac and cheese is a must-order. The chicken chimichurri wrap was a massive hit in our radio booth, too. Kurt mentioned his personal favorite is the chicken soup, and let me just warn you that their gluten-free cheese crackers are dangerously addictive. They also have a pretty robust cheese plate with 3 types of cheese, marcona almonds, castelvetrano olives, dried fruit and crackers.

Pacha Mamas: Also new this year, this vibrant concept from Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken specializes in Peruvian street food bowls. This spot also earned high marks from our booth, particularly the lomo saltado bowl. However, practically all of their menu items contain bell peppers, which are my one true kryptonite aside from mint chocolate chip ice cream. Instead, I went with the yellowtail ceviche that comes paired with a giant bag of plantain chips. Absolutely delicious.

Sweetfin: The last of the newcomers, I grabbed this for my very first meal and I cannot wait to go back. Everything is sustainably sourced, gluten-free, and essentially acts as a perfectly portable way to eat sushi. They specialize in poke bowls with a base of either rice or kale (pro tip: go with the rice). I loved the spicy tuna bowl with the little crispy onions sprinkled on top.

Oakberry: If you want something cold on a hot desert day while still feeling healthy, Oakberry has a fantastic assortment of açaí bowls and smoothies. The Tiger Bowl is my go-to order. It is packed with layers of premium açaí, whey protein, peanut butter, granola, and double strawberries. It also happens to be a favorite of Aryna Sabalenka, who just got engaged to the company’s founder and CEO, Georgios Frangulis, right before the tournament started!

La La Land: This spot is actually located inside the new lululemon pop-up tent, which has been crazy popular. It probably boasts the longest line on the entire grounds, although the queue to get into Stadium 3 might be comparable. (Just make sure you get in the correct line on the side of the building.) This cafe is a massive cult favorite from LA that my co-worker Gill Gross got me completely hooked on. I always go for the iced Banana Cloud Matcha Latte. It is topped with a sweet, fluffy banana foam and literally tastes like a dream. You can get it with espresso too, and you will not regret either choice.

Love Love Chicken: I just had this one recently, and these are absolutely not your typical stadium chicken tenders. Located in Stadium 2 from chef Christian Page, these are buttermilk hand-breaded and come with your choice of dipping sauces. I was completely obsessed with the miso green goddess ranch and cannot wait to recreate this entire dish when I get back to my own kitchen. (Keep an eye out for that recipe coming to a Quick Bites newsletter near you!)

MOTO Pizza: This is another gem from the Seattle area, proving the Pacific Northwest to desert pipeline is incredibly strong. (In fact, they actually helped bring Beecher’s on board.) MOTO specializes in thick, delicious Detroit-style pizza. I ordered the Kissd, which comes with pepperoni and sausage, and you know I love a good hot honey moment. We had Bobby Ramirez from Sodexo Live! on our morning show the other day, and he told us that some fans are so obsessed they will buy extra boxes just to take home and freeze since it is not available locally.

Puesto: Puesto has three different locations around the grounds, and all feature slightly different menu items. I absolutely loved the Mexican fruit “cup” on a hot day. You get refreshing chunks of mango, pineapple, watermelon, and cucumber, mixed with Mexican candy. You can choose to get it topped with chamoy and tajin for a sweet, sour, and salty finish to your fruit. (Trust me, you want it!) They also have chips and guacamole, tacos in the Food Village, and loaded nachos outside Stadium 2. I think the nachos will be my next meal because the smell of the cheese sauce alone is intoxicating. I stole a bite of my co-worker Mike Cation’s birria nachos tonight and it was pure perfection. (Update 3/10: I had the nachos last night and they were even better than I imagined. I especially loved the finely diced escabeche with pickled carrots and jalapeños.)

John’s: A true Coachella Valley local favorite. On Nick’s recommendation, I got the Greek salad and added gyro meat to it. This is perfect for when you want to feel healthy but still need a filling, protein-packed meal to get you through a long day of matches. The lamb was incredibly tender and the portion was generous.

J’s Deli: Everyone is obsessed with the Reubinski sandwich, which is a towering masterpiece of New York black pastrami and corned beef with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing on grilled classic rye bread. But as the desert weather started creeping into the 90s, I found myself craving a cold salad. They have a great Cobb salad here loaded with a hard-boiled egg, cucumber, Gorgonzola, tomato, avocado, and chicken, served with a packet of ranch dressing. It hit the exact spot I needed it to. This is also a fantastic place to grab a sweet treat, featuring great cookies, brownies, and cinnamon raisin bagel chips.